hawkins



l 1,624100 April 12, 1927. w. w. HAWKINS a" INTERRUPTER MECHANISM FiledDeC.`14. 1921 Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,y

WILLIAM W. HAWKINS, Olli"y BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WEBSTERELECTRIC COMPANYOF RACINE, WISCONSIN, AV CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN. y

INTERRUPTER MECHANISM.

Application filed December 14, 1921. Serial No. 522,432.

My invention relates to an interrupter mechanism that is particularlysuitable for use in an ignition system wherein thek ignition current'issupplied by a battery.-

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an.interrupter mechanism wherein the engagement and disengagement of thecontacts is effected with greatv rapidity, the contacts being permittedto remain in engagement for but extremely short periods oftime.

A further object of the invention is to provide an interrupter.mechanism that is particularly adapted to be operated by a cam formed byproviding. a flat spot on a shaft forming part of the engine with whichthe ignition apparatus is associated.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following detaileddescription progresses.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention,

.Figure 1 is a side elevational view of thel interrupter mechanism of myinvention, and

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

The battery ignition coil and spark plug are diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. urey 1.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral indicates a shaft formingpart of an engine with which the apparatus of my present invention isassociated, said shaft 10being provided with a flat spot 11. At 12 is`indicated a plate which is provided witha circular opening 13 for thereception of shaft 10, and with a pair of slots Pif-14 for the receptionof bolts (not shown) wherewith the plate is secured to the engine inproper angular relation to shaft. 10. It will be noted that slots 14%14arek elongated in arcs concentric with shaft 10 to permit readyadjustment of the plate 12 to advance or retard the occurrence of thespark. y

Indicated as a whole by reference character 15 is a lever which ispivotally mounted on plate 12 by pin 1G. Lever 15 comprises arms a, o,and c, arms a and b being. located onk one side of pivot 16 and arm c onthe other side of said pivot. Arm I) carries the follower 17, which atall times is urged into engagement with the shaft 10 by a leaf spring18, associated with arm c. One

end of spring 1S is riveted to arm c. They otheicnd of said spring bearsragainst and is securely attached to a block 18, said block beingconveniently attached to plate 12 by screws, as shown.

The stationary and movable contacts are indicated at 19 and 20,respectively. Sta,

tionary contact 19 is carried by a screw 21, which in turn is adjustablymounted in a block 22, said block 22 being supportedy by plate 12, butbeing electrically insulated therefrom by suitable cli-electric materialindicated at 23. The movable contact is carried by the free end of acurved leaf spring m24, the other end of said spring being fixed to ablock 25, which is secured to the plate 12 in any suitable manner. f Thehori 'arm a, by a light leaf spring 29. The other end of the fingernormally overlies the free end of contact carrying spring 24, and isprovided with an inclined end surface 30.

The stationary contact 19 is connected with the insulated side of theignition circuit, which, in the present instance, includes a Vbattery31, ignition coil 32, andhspark plug 33. Movable contact 20 is groundedto the engine through spring 24, thev block 25 and plate 12.

It will be understood that spring 24 normally assumes the positionwherein the contacts are separated. Now let us assume that the shaft 10turns so that the flat spot 11 thereof lies opposite follower 17.Sprinir 1S, by virtue of its inherent strength, anc the mechanicaladvantage afforded by lever 15,- inoves the follower into engagementwith the flat spot 11, and causes finger v27 to depress, and then slipoff of the free end of spring 24. As soon as spring 24 is released byvfinger 27, it recoils past its normal position and causes the movableContact 2() to engage and then quickly disengage ther stationary Contact19. A spark is thus caused to pass at the plug 33. As soon as thefollower rides off. of the flat spot 11, the lever 15 and finger 27 aremoved against the pressure of spring 1S to the position shown inFigure 1. In this case, however, the light spring 29 yields to permitthe inclined surface Oof finger 27 to slip past the free end of spring24 without causing engagement of the contacts. The sequence of eventsjust' described is repeated once for every revolution of shaft l0.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do notlimit myself to the precise construction or arringement of parts hereinshown or described, but desire to avail myself of all other embodimentsof my invention definedl by the appended claims.

Whatl l claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

l. AnA ignition circuit interrupter coinprising in combinationstationary and movable contacts, spring means normally holding themovable contact' out of engagement with the stationary contact, springactuated means adapted to draw the movable contact away from thestationary contact andthen to release the movable contact, the springmeans' associated with the movable contact being.. adapted thereuponquickly to recoil under its own tension and cause the engagement anddisengagement-of the contacts, and

engine driven means for controlling the spring actuated means aforesaid.

2.An ignition circuit interrupter comprising'- a` stationary contact, aspring carrying a movablefcontact, said spring occupying a' normalposition with said' movable contact out of engagement with saidstationary Contact, and spring actuated means for fiexing said-springbackwardly away from said stationary contactvto build up a recoilpressure in said spring uponmovement, in one direction, said springactuated means releasing'4 said spring to permit it to recoil past saidnormal position and thereby bring said' movable contact into momentaryengagement with said stationary contact and said means adapted to movein a reverse direction without bringing the contacts into engagement.A

3. An ignition circuit interrupter comprisinga stationary contact, aleaf spring carrying, a` movable Contact, said leaf spring occupyinganormal position with said Inovable contact out of engagement with saidstationary contact,.spring operated actuating means for drawing saidspring backwardly fromv its normal position to establish a recoiltension therein, said spring ope 'ated actuating means thereuponreleasingsaid spring and permitting it to snapforwardly past its normalposition to bring said movable contactl into momentary engagement withsaid stationary contact,lsaid spring operated actuating means adaptedtion with said movable` contact out of engagement with said stationarycontact, springvoperated actuating means for drawing said springbackwardly from its normal position to establish a' recoil tensiontherein, said spring operated actuating means thereupon releasing saidspring and permitting it to snap forwardly, the inertia of saidspringand movable contact carrying the latter past said normal positionand into momentary engagement with saidI stationary contact, said springoperated actuating means adaptedto return toits initial 'posi-` tionwithout bringing the contacts intoengagement', and engine-operated meansfor ope 'ating said actuating means 5. An1 ignition circuit interruptercomprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, a` spring forimpelling said movable contact intoengagement withsaidstationarycontact, said spring normally occupying a position with said movablecontacty out of engagement with said';stationary contact, an oscillatorymember adapted in onedirection ofl oscillation to flex said springbackwardly away from said'stationary contact to establish a recoiltension therein, said oscillating member thereupon releasing? Saidspring and-permitting it to snapforwardlypast its normal position forbringing said' movable contactinto engagement with said stationarycontact, and` tripping-means associate'd with saidoscillating memberadapted to permit oscillation of said member intheV other directionwithout bringing.` saidjc'ontacts into engagement'.v

6. An ignition circuit interrupterf comprising normally separatedstationary and movable contacts,-av leaf spring fixedat one end andcarrying` the movable Contact at its other end, the free end of saidspring, adapted, when flexed away fromthe stationary contact andreleased, to recoil and in rapid sequenceI effectftheengagement anddisengagement` of the contacts,- spring. actuated means adapted to Hexand release ther free end of said leaf spring', and engine driven meansfor controlling said spring actuated means,said`spring actuated meanscomprising a' lever arm providedwitha spring pressed linger adapted whenmoved in one'direction to engage, flex` and release thefree end of saidlea'fspring, said finger adapted to slip past the free end ofsaidleafspring when said finger is moved in the other direction.

7. An ignition circuit interrupter comprising in combination, acontrolling shaft having a flat spot,avr lever provided 'with' afollower, a. relativelylstrong spring norinally holding said follower inengagementA with said shaft, a stationary contact, a movable contactnormally separated from the-stationary contact,. a v curved leaf springsecured atone'end and carrying the movable-contact Cil upon its otherend, said lever comprising an arm located adjacent the free end of saidleaf spring, and a spring pressed finger carried upon said lastmentioned lever arm, said finger adapted to engage, flex and release thefree end of said leaf spring when the follower rides upon the flat spotof the shaft, and to slip past the free end of the leaf spring when thefollower rides olf the flat spot onto the cylindrical surface of the 10shaft. l

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my naine this 7 day ofDecember, 1921.

WM. W; HAVKINS.

